Clow Doesn't Socialize Well
by Servant of Anubis
Summary: Clow's an odd loner, social but distant. Why? Eventually, a person gets tried of seeing death.


I always had this idea that Clow was this little noble kid who was more concerned with learning about magic than talking to his peers. But I couldn't quite fully accept the idea as the only reason why Clow would be like that. Then I had this thought, and the following story is the result.

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Clow Reed didn't make friends.

He hadn't wanted to go to Eton College, but his father had insisted. Clow would've much rather stayed home with his private tutors and studied magic with his family. But no, going away to school as a King's Scholar would be a good experience for him, said his father, a good way to socialize.

But Clow didn't socialize well. In fact, he hardly socialized at all. He didn't play sports like the other boys; he wasn't very good at cricket and gods help him if he had to play rugby. Most of his time, his nose was in a book. Too girly, the boys scoffed, as they tugged at the tails of his morning coat and stuck their feet out as he walked up to the front of the room. They were cruel tricks, sudden and unplanned, the sort that he never detected until a half second before they were done, and by then he couldn't avoid them.

And then there was the matter of his birth. His father and family was of good repute, well respected, so much so that no one dared openly discussed his distasteful affair with that Oriental woman. Being half Chinese, with his slightly slanted eyes and shorter stature, and shoulder-length glossy black hair, he was immediately ostracized by most of his peers.

But he didn't mind it. In fact, he preferred it. Never mind the fact that he knew secrets and magics that they would never even dream of. He just didn't want them close. He couldn't take it. Some of them tried to befriend him, the kinder boys, those lower on the social food chain. Like now.

"Hey, Reed, do you want to eat lunch together?"

Clow glanced over the top of his book. It was the new Oppidan student, Trevor Fries. He wondered which of the other boys would take the pleasure of informing the new boy that Oppidans didn't talk with Scholars, just like the commonfolk didn't talk with the nobles, or the new rich with the old rich. But Clow wasn't one for social distinction and he didn't have an excuse at hand.

"Alright," he replied, dropping his gaze back to his book.

Trevor stood there uncomfortably for a moment, running a hand through his uneven blond hair. "So, what are you reading?" he tried, peeking over the edge of the leather bound tome.

"Sanguo Yanyi," Clow responded, tilting the book to afford him a better view. Chinese characters danced down the page. "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms. One of the Four Great Classical Novels, about the fall of the old Han dynasty, mostly battle, betrayal, and death."

"Oh…" Trevor nodded slowly, with a look of 'I'll take your word for it'. "I see."

"Where do you want to eat?" Clow asked abruptly, snapping the book shut and standing.

"Er…"

"Let's eat at College Wall then." Clow shouldered his side bag and started to walk away before Trevor could respond. He hurried to catch up.

Miraculously, they made small talk all the way there. Other students shot odd glances at the two, some curious, others filled with dark intent and dislike. Clow settled himself on the ground and leaned against the gently curving wall, ignoring the glares from the other Scholars. Oppidans didn't use the College Wall.

Trevor didn't fair so well under the accusing stares but did his best to keep up a light chatter with Clow. To his surprise, the quiet boy proved to be a good conversationalist and even laughed slightly at some of his stories.

Clow was just as surprised to find himself enjoying the boy's company. The lunch was almost pleasant enough to make him temporarily forget why he didn't befriend his peers.

"And then she went to storm off and she tripped right over her own feet!"

Clow laughed along with Trevor, smiling happily. He caught Trevor's eyes and froze, smile immobilized on his face, eyes seeing beyond the boy with an unnerving clarity.

_A young adult waited patiently at the train station, bundled up in a heavy wool coat and cap, meager luggage piled next to him. A beautiful woman stood next to him, his wife, if the loving looks they exchanged were any hint. They were on their way home to visit his family for the holidays and the train was due to arrive soon._

_A distant whistle blew, signaling a train that would pass through the station. _

_A commotion farther down the platform. A scruffy man burst away from a well-to-do group and sprinted up the damp platform toward the young man and his wife. The whistle sounded louder._

_The young man looked to see what was going on. He saw the thief running and grabbed him. A small scuffle ensued, the wife calling to her husband fearfully. The thief twisted out of his grasp and shoved him away. The man stumbled back, slipping in one of the many puddles left by the melting snow from the passengers' shoes._

_He fell backwards, his wife's screams ringing in his ears as he saw the blaring light of the train. His eyes widened in mild surprise and shock._

"No!" Clow shrieked, eyes widened as blood splattered over the tracks.

"Reed? Reed?!" An insistent, concerned voice. Clow looked up into frightened, confused eyes. _The man's bloodied face_ flashed over Trevor's for an instant. Clow threw himself away from the boy in horror, a startled cry escaping him.

"Reed, what's wrong? Are you alright? You're pale as a sheet!" Trevor asked in alarm as Clow lurched to his feet unsteadily.

"I- I need to go," he choked out, trying not to look at the boy. He turned and ran, obvious to the incredulous eyes that followed him out and the excited whispers that quickly erupted.

Clow ran to a secluded place and vomited. All it took was a light connection, a faint relationship with someone. His stomach heaved again. He wanted to be home again. He wasn't sure if he could stand seeing people die over and over. He didn't want to know. He didn't want to know!

Once he deemed himself sufficiently calmed, Clow summoned his courage and returned to the mental torture chamber that was school.

--

Eton is a private all-boys school in England that's existed for a while (1400s). The Scholars were 70 students whose education was completely paid for by the government, and Oppidans were students that came from the 'town'. Yeah.

Tell me what you think, preferably via reviews. /cough/


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